#298
Lord, help us figure out how to continue with ministry at LCC. We trust in Your guidance. In Jesus's name.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Full
#297
FULL, exhausting, but super fun, encouraging, Spirit-led day at KCC, full of coaching, conversations with non-believers, and discipleship (both being discipled and discipling). Then another hang out with John Allison. Blessed day.
FULL, exhausting, but super fun, encouraging, Spirit-led day at KCC, full of coaching, conversations with non-believers, and discipleship (both being discipled and discipling). Then another hang out with John Allison. Blessed day.
Known
#296
Well that was a quick trip. Said bye to Gin last night. Mom today. My dad took Umi and me to get Mexican for lunch- Oh man, SO good. Then Heather (one of my closest friends, fellow Trojan, now Cru staff raising support to serve at UCI) and I grabbed coffee and then she drove me to LAX. As we talked about the challenges we're each facing in our walks with the Lord, she ended by telling me that she was really glad that God is working in my life the way He is. That was monumentally encouraging... Here is someone who knows me better than (or at least as well as) pretty much anyone else in the world, hearing about the hardships I'm experiencing in living in Hawaii and being in this ministry team/context, and she's ENCOURAGED, precisely because she knows my heart and knows that God is using this time to mold me in all the ways that I've been resisting up until now. I've been immensely thankful lately for the work He's doing in my life, but up until this point, no one was able to rejoice in it with me because they either see me in my life in Hawaii but don't really know me deeply, or they know me deeply but haven't entered into my life in Hawaii. Thank You, Lord, for the encouragement of close friends who truly know me.
Well that was a quick trip. Said bye to Gin last night. Mom today. My dad took Umi and me to get Mexican for lunch- Oh man, SO good. Then Heather (one of my closest friends, fellow Trojan, now Cru staff raising support to serve at UCI) and I grabbed coffee and then she drove me to LAX. As we talked about the challenges we're each facing in our walks with the Lord, she ended by telling me that she was really glad that God is working in my life the way He is. That was monumentally encouraging... Here is someone who knows me better than (or at least as well as) pretty much anyone else in the world, hearing about the hardships I'm experiencing in living in Hawaii and being in this ministry team/context, and she's ENCOURAGED, precisely because she knows my heart and knows that God is using this time to mold me in all the ways that I've been resisting up until now. I've been immensely thankful lately for the work He's doing in my life, but up until this point, no one was able to rejoice in it with me because they either see me in my life in Hawaii but don't really know me deeply, or they know me deeply but haven't entered into my life in Hawaii. Thank You, Lord, for the encouragement of close friends who truly know me.
Missing Mowgli
#295
Matt (friend from SC, fellow AGO, student I took on Project to Tokyo in 09, and now Cru staff at Pomona) came over to San Marino this afternoon to grab coffee. Man... such a refreshing hang out. God's working in our lives and hearing about it was convicting, challenging and comforting for the both of us! Ending the day with a sushi dinner with a bunch of my immediate and extended family wasn't so bad either. :-D
Matt (friend from SC, fellow AGO, student I took on Project to Tokyo in 09, and now Cru staff at Pomona) came over to San Marino this afternoon to grab coffee. Man... such a refreshing hang out. God's working in our lives and hearing about it was convicting, challenging and comforting for the both of us! Ending the day with a sushi dinner with a bunch of my immediate and extended family wasn't so bad either. :-D
Little Bro Love
#294
Day 2 left us better prepared for WC than we've ever been at this point in the planning process! Praise God! And I got to grab sushi with my little bro from AGO and his mom (who was visiting from South Carolina for the first time in a year and a half) after the meetings. Such a blessing to see him.
Day 2 left us better prepared for WC than we've ever been at this point in the planning process! Praise God! And I got to grab sushi with my little bro from AGO and his mom (who was visiting from South Carolina for the first time in a year and a half) after the meetings. Such a blessing to see him.
What's the Plan, Stan?
#293
Day 1 of planning meetings was a huge success. And I got to end the night grabbing dessert at Denny's with Andrew, whom I used to disciple back at SC. It was such an encouraging night of catching up and challenging each other in the process of figuring out the Lord's will for our lives. It was perfect timing too, cuz earlier today, I got to talk about my process of questioning where I should be, career-wise, with Deb Goodson (team leader up at Cal, also on the WC planning team). So I was extra ready to talk through the same things with Andrew, as he's at a crossroads in his life too.
Day 1 of planning meetings was a huge success. And I got to end the night grabbing dessert at Denny's with Andrew, whom I used to disciple back at SC. It was such an encouraging night of catching up and challenging each other in the process of figuring out the Lord's will for our lives. It was perfect timing too, cuz earlier today, I got to talk about my process of questioning where I should be, career-wise, with Deb Goodson (team leader up at Cal, also on the WC planning team). So I was extra ready to talk through the same things with Andrew, as he's at a crossroads in his life too.
How Many Red-Eyes Have I Flown?
#292
I got in to LAX at 5:45 this morning. I am tired. Haha. But it's been so good seeing my family and I'm super excited for tomorrow when we start round 1 of Winter Conference 2011 planning meetings!
I got in to LAX at 5:45 this morning. I am tired. Haha. But it's been so good seeing my family and I'm super excited for tomorrow when we start round 1 of Winter Conference 2011 planning meetings!
Nearly Overwhelmed
#291
And today, Shaun and Karisa came out to LCC to meet with Jamie and me about stuff out here. It was a really intense conversation, cuz we have SO much to figure out for LCC. But it was also exciting cuz SO much is going on at LCC! Honestly, though, I have been feeling rather overwhelmed with the magnitude of the work the Lord has allowed us to take part in, so it was good to talk through it with our leaders, get my head back on right, and trust in God all over again to do HIS work THROUGH us.
And today, Shaun and Karisa came out to LCC to meet with Jamie and me about stuff out here. It was a really intense conversation, cuz we have SO much to figure out for LCC. But it was also exciting cuz SO much is going on at LCC! Honestly, though, I have been feeling rather overwhelmed with the magnitude of the work the Lord has allowed us to take part in, so it was good to talk through it with our leaders, get my head back on right, and trust in God all over again to do HIS work THROUGH us.
Where to Go...
#290
Shaun and Karisa came to meet with Natalie and me at KCC today to talk us through what ministry there's looking like and where to go from here. It was actually a really exciting, vision-filled conversation. Our coaching time with Dylan and Mitch right before-hand was blessed but in it we realized how much of a wall we were coming against, so to be able to immediately process it with our team leaders was just great. So excited to see what kind of movement the Lord will build at this gorgeous campus!
Shaun and Karisa came to meet with Natalie and me at KCC today to talk us through what ministry there's looking like and where to go from here. It was actually a really exciting, vision-filled conversation. Our coaching time with Dylan and Mitch right before-hand was blessed but in it we realized how much of a wall we were coming against, so to be able to immediately process it with our team leaders was just great. So excited to see what kind of movement the Lord will build at this gorgeous campus!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Needing Strength
#289
I'm really, REALLY tired. Halfway through the semester and I'm really feeling it... God, sustain me!
I'm really, REALLY tired. Halfway through the semester and I'm really feeling it... God, sustain me!
I Have Friends!!
#288
Dim Sum with a bunch of friends, Jesus time on the veranda at the Moana Surfrider with a few of them, and then La Vita E Bella/Italian dinner night at a friend's apartment. Praise You, Lord, I have friends! :D
Dim Sum with a bunch of friends, Jesus time on the veranda at the Moana Surfrider with a few of them, and then La Vita E Bella/Italian dinner night at a friend's apartment. Praise You, Lord, I have friends! :D
I'd Missed Pho
#287
Really productive, but full day of meetings from 9:30-5. Wow. But then a nice chill Pho dinner with the staff team, followed by my getting to check out the young adults group for a church in Hawaii Kai for the first time, all made for a relaxing ending to a packed day!
Really productive, but full day of meetings from 9:30-5. Wow. But then a nice chill Pho dinner with the staff team, followed by my getting to check out the young adults group for a church in Hawaii Kai for the first time, all made for a relaxing ending to a packed day!
Smart Guy
#286
Ryan and I got to go out sharing today and had a great conversation with a really, really, really smart post-bac guy from SoCal named Sai. Such a cool guy. And he's really, really explored and thought through his spirituality and we were able to have an awesome, intelligent conversation about what he's wrestling with when it comes to traditional faiths. Lord, use my words and Ryan's, and even more than that, use the power of your Holy Spirit's pursuit to begin to open Sai's eyes to You!
Ryan and I got to go out sharing today and had a great conversation with a really, really, really smart post-bac guy from SoCal named Sai. Such a cool guy. And he's really, really explored and thought through his spirituality and we were able to have an awesome, intelligent conversation about what he's wrestling with when it comes to traditional faiths. Lord, use my words and Ryan's, and even more than that, use the power of your Holy Spirit's pursuit to begin to open Sai's eyes to You!
Community Happening??
#285
Brad's become a good friend. A 26 year-old post-bac student from Texas... meaning we have a lot in common- being from the mainland, being mid-20s, having a bachelor's degree already... Tonight after a great day of ministry, I got to hang out with Brad for a few hours, just getting to encourage each other in the Lord. This plus a sweeeet hangout with John, a guy on staff with the Baptist campus ministry here, on Monday night, has been really nice. God is really starting to open the doors of friendship and community and I'm ecstatic! But Lord, help me to continue relying on no one but You.
Brad's become a good friend. A 26 year-old post-bac student from Texas... meaning we have a lot in common- being from the mainland, being mid-20s, having a bachelor's degree already... Tonight after a great day of ministry, I got to hang out with Brad for a few hours, just getting to encourage each other in the Lord. This plus a sweeeet hangout with John, a guy on staff with the Baptist campus ministry here, on Monday night, has been really nice. God is really starting to open the doors of friendship and community and I'm ecstatic! But Lord, help me to continue relying on no one but You.
Church Partnership...eek?
#284
Churches wanting to partner with Cru campus movements is always a bit scary, cuz you never know what they mean by that. But at LCC today, Jamie and I got to meet with two pastors from local churches that are basically wanting to provide manpower- that's it! The college pastors from local churches are wanting to come and help reach LCC, and they just want to come under our umbrella, and provide manpower to train student leaders and follow-up new believers! WE WILL TAKE IT! How beautiful that it's not about Cru, it's not about specific churches, it's alll about God's people passionately coming together to work as one to bring His Kingdom!
Churches wanting to partner with Cru campus movements is always a bit scary, cuz you never know what they mean by that. But at LCC today, Jamie and I got to meet with two pastors from local churches that are basically wanting to provide manpower- that's it! The college pastors from local churches are wanting to come and help reach LCC, and they just want to come under our umbrella, and provide manpower to train student leaders and follow-up new believers! WE WILL TAKE IT! How beautiful that it's not about Cru, it's not about specific churches, it's alll about God's people passionately coming together to work as one to bring His Kingdom!
Drenching KCC in Prayer
#283
At KCC coaching, Mitch and Dylan asked us if they could change their weekly mtgs to just be prayer meetings, to really seek the Lord for the rest of the semester before really running with anything else, because not much is happening so far at KCC. I could not have been more excited for an idea! PRAYER. It works. And no spiritual movement can succeed if it's not drenched in it, right??
At KCC coaching, Mitch and Dylan asked us if they could change their weekly mtgs to just be prayer meetings, to really seek the Lord for the rest of the semester before really running with anything else, because not much is happening so far at KCC. I could not have been more excited for an idea! PRAYER. It works. And no spiritual movement can succeed if it's not drenched in it, right??
CORE Love
#282
Jamie, Nat and I got to lead Core team meeting tonight. We had a blast cooking curry for everyone, and then leading them in a time of celebration, refreshing of vision and seeking the Lord for direction. We love our student leaders!
Jamie, Nat and I got to lead Core team meeting tonight. We had a blast cooking curry for everyone, and then leading them in a time of celebration, refreshing of vision and seeking the Lord for direction. We love our student leaders!
ONE YEAR?!
#281
Ending the day by going out to the beach with Dylan to meet up with a bunch of college/young adults kids from Leeward Community Church was actually really nice and refreshing. I got to meet some new people, and even got to lead a little discussion group for the guys. Plus the beach was beautiful. Definitely a pensive Gen today though, as I'm still processing through a lot of stuff that happened this past week with staff team interaction, AND today marks one year since moving to Hawaii! Wow, Lord. Time flies. Thank You for how powerfully present You've been in my time here, as difficult as it's been!
Ending the day by going out to the beach with Dylan to meet up with a bunch of college/young adults kids from Leeward Community Church was actually really nice and refreshing. I got to meet some new people, and even got to lead a little discussion group for the guys. Plus the beach was beautiful. Definitely a pensive Gen today though, as I'm still processing through a lot of stuff that happened this past week with staff team interaction, AND today marks one year since moving to Hawaii! Wow, Lord. Time flies. Thank You for how powerfully present You've been in my time here, as difficult as it's been!
Prayer Has Power
#280
I'm wrestling through a lot of stuff with God. In fact, when Shaun asked each person on the team to check in and share how they're doing, my response was "Honestly, I'm in a pretty crappy place." I was having a hard time dealing with some interpersonal and cultural issues, and it was revealing some deep sin in my heart. So I was just not in a good place. But then we went into a time of prayer with two Cru staff from Hilo and a pastor in Hilo who is a former Cru staff guy, and my whole attitude changed. I'm still having to work through stuff in my heart, but to be able to give it all up to God and be reminded that the Lord is with us and for us and wants to use us to expand His Kingdom was exactly the refresher I needed.
I'm wrestling through a lot of stuff with God. In fact, when Shaun asked each person on the team to check in and share how they're doing, my response was "Honestly, I'm in a pretty crappy place." I was having a hard time dealing with some interpersonal and cultural issues, and it was revealing some deep sin in my heart. So I was just not in a good place. But then we went into a time of prayer with two Cru staff from Hilo and a pastor in Hilo who is a former Cru staff guy, and my whole attitude changed. I'm still having to work through stuff in my heart, but to be able to give it all up to God and be reminded that the Lord is with us and for us and wants to use us to expand His Kingdom was exactly the refresher I needed.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Oh, CTA...
#279
Probably the single hardest day (for me) to date when it comes to staff team dynamics. We had a major "clearing the air" time, and boy did we ever have air to clear! There were tears, moments of frustration, temptations to give up and just leave, but we all stayed engaged and worked and talked through it, and it ended up being such a good thing. I love that our job teaches us (tremendously well) how to navigate through interpersonal conflict, and I love that our staff are committed to the mission and to help each other grow as individuals, through thick and thin.
Probably the single hardest day (for me) to date when it comes to staff team dynamics. We had a major "clearing the air" time, and boy did we ever have air to clear! There were tears, moments of frustration, temptations to give up and just leave, but we all stayed engaged and worked and talked through it, and it ended up being such a good thing. I love that our job teaches us (tremendously well) how to navigate through interpersonal conflict, and I love that our staff are committed to the mission and to help each other grow as individuals, through thick and thin.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Trust In His Goodness
#278
Our staff team started our day off with a spiritual listening exercise where we each processed through Luke 11:1-13, asking the Lord to open our hearts to trust in His love. Oh man... God revealed some major things in terms of what can hinder me from fully trusting in Him. It's intense stuff, but I'm excited to see how the Lord walks me through the healing process. Even just in that realization, I feel like He has already begun to turn my heart to trust in His goodness more. He is GOOD.
Our staff team started our day off with a spiritual listening exercise where we each processed through Luke 11:1-13, asking the Lord to open our hearts to trust in His love. Oh man... God revealed some major things in terms of what can hinder me from fully trusting in Him. It's intense stuff, but I'm excited to see how the Lord walks me through the healing process. Even just in that realization, I feel like He has already begun to turn my heart to trust in His goodness more. He is GOOD.
Prone to Focus on Weakness
#277
Strengths are scary for me. I'm always afraid that I will use my strengths for selfish gain or to increase my ego, and so I often shy away from them. But I realized, as we did a StrengthsFinder discussion today as a staff team, that God has made me the way I am for a reason, and I really just have to give my entire self- everything about me- over to Him, place it on the altar, and have Him use those things for His good!
Strengths are scary for me. I'm always afraid that I will use my strengths for selfish gain or to increase my ego, and so I often shy away from them. But I realized, as we did a StrengthsFinder discussion today as a staff team, that God has made me the way I am for a reason, and I really just have to give my entire self- everything about me- over to Him, place it on the altar, and have Him use those things for His good!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Higher Failure Rate
#276
Sometimes coaching meetings are super exciting, where we get to talk about all the crazy things that God is doing, and we just get to discuss what to do about all that and where to go from there. And then there are times when coaching meetings involve talking about how nothing's working. Today's coaching meeting with Dylan and Mitch at KCC was like that. After some weeks of trying, almost absolutely nothing is happening at KCC- no one is coming to the meetings, no students (other than our leaders) are excited about the idea of Cru, evangelism isn't really happening. But honestly, it was an AWESOME coaching time, because we got to talk through what it means to be on a campus with a pioneering-stage movement. The reality is that the rate of failure is much higher on a pioneering campus, and that's not a bad thing. The "failures" are just a part of the "figuring out" process. Dylan and Mitch have been tremendously faithful student leaders, and Nat and I got to encourage them in that, and then we just talked through what we could try. And then in the end, we realized that we should probably be praying more... and so we spent the last chunk of our time praying that God would give us His heart for the campus, and would bring us into what He is doing. It was a GREAT coaching session!
Sometimes coaching meetings are super exciting, where we get to talk about all the crazy things that God is doing, and we just get to discuss what to do about all that and where to go from there. And then there are times when coaching meetings involve talking about how nothing's working. Today's coaching meeting with Dylan and Mitch at KCC was like that. After some weeks of trying, almost absolutely nothing is happening at KCC- no one is coming to the meetings, no students (other than our leaders) are excited about the idea of Cru, evangelism isn't really happening. But honestly, it was an AWESOME coaching time, because we got to talk through what it means to be on a campus with a pioneering-stage movement. The reality is that the rate of failure is much higher on a pioneering campus, and that's not a bad thing. The "failures" are just a part of the "figuring out" process. Dylan and Mitch have been tremendously faithful student leaders, and Nat and I got to encourage them in that, and then we just talked through what we could try. And then in the end, we realized that we should probably be praying more... and so we spent the last chunk of our time praying that God would give us His heart for the campus, and would bring us into what He is doing. It was a GREAT coaching session!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
The Search for Community Continues...
#275
Just checked out South Shore Christian Fellowship for the first time! I really liked it. It's a Calvary Chapel church so the teaching was solid, expository-style, which is right up my alley, and it was small enough that it had a family/community feel. I even got to go out to lunch with a bunch of the young adults! Lord, if this is where you want me to fully plug in, lead me to do so!
Just checked out South Shore Christian Fellowship for the first time! I really liked it. It's a Calvary Chapel church so the teaching was solid, expository-style, which is right up my alley, and it was small enough that it had a family/community feel. I even got to go out to lunch with a bunch of the young adults! Lord, if this is where you want me to fully plug in, lead me to do so!
Chill... And I Mean CHILL
#274
3-hour breakfast hang out with 26 year-old Brad (one of our Cru students) to start the day. So fun to hang out with someone my age-ish! Then a spontaneous Skype catch up with a really good friend from my 2007 Tokyo Project- super encouraging in the Lord. Then a planned, awesome Skype chat catching up with Nick (guy I discipled at USC) who's on the World Race. Laundry, F*R*I*E*N*D*S, a Trojan victory (with Barkley having a school-record breaking performance... FIGHT ON!) and an early night of sleep made for a fanTAStic Sabbath.
3-hour breakfast hang out with 26 year-old Brad (one of our Cru students) to start the day. So fun to hang out with someone my age-ish! Then a spontaneous Skype catch up with a really good friend from my 2007 Tokyo Project- super encouraging in the Lord. Then a planned, awesome Skype chat catching up with Nick (guy I discipled at USC) who's on the World Race. Laundry, F*R*I*E*N*D*S, a Trojan victory (with Barkley having a school-record breaking performance... FIGHT ON!) and an early night of sleep made for a fanTAStic Sabbath.
Feeling Crummy Happens
#273
First, quick note- thanks for your prayers! It seems like God totally spoke through me last night and students were talking about the topic way after the meeting ended! :)
I kinda hit another low point today- lots of little frustrating things happened this morning, and then felt really bummed and lonely and spiritually crippled after a full day of staff meetings. But God really carried me through both meetings today (including a 3-hour long meeting to plan our weekly gatherings... which I led!) and even the student social at night! I was not in a position to be in ministry today, with how my heart and my mind were doing, but God is good and He gave me the strength I needed!
First, quick note- thanks for your prayers! It seems like God totally spoke through me last night and students were talking about the topic way after the meeting ended! :)
I kinda hit another low point today- lots of little frustrating things happened this morning, and then felt really bummed and lonely and spiritually crippled after a full day of staff meetings. But God really carried me through both meetings today (including a 3-hour long meeting to plan our weekly gatherings... which I led!) and even the student social at night! I was not in a position to be in ministry today, with how my heart and my mind were doing, but God is good and He gave me the strength I needed!
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